The Downward Spiral

As I have learned from this list, I do not have much fondness for industrial music. I don't really think this is a horrible album. If you like this style of music, I'm sure it's great. But I really, really did not enjoy listening to it. Had to have the volume pretty low the whole time for the sake of my hearing. I kind of like the depressing nature of it, but there's other albums I like more that can make me depressed. I guess I'm glad that this album exists though, because without it, we would not have the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt, which I quite like. My favourite song would be Hurt, I guess? I didn't like any of the songs on here and I don't see myself seeking any of them out again.

- Mr. Self Destruct: Loud but I guess is the point of the song. 5/10 - Piggy: Very good listen. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Bass is really catchy. 8.5/10 - Heresy: Pretty good song. Kinda like the distortion sound of it 7/10. - March Of The Pigs: Liked the parts where the influence came down. 6/10 - Closer: Verses sound good. Very groovy song. Like the industrial sound of it. 8/10 - Ruiner: 80 vibes. Okay overall. 6/10 - The Becoming: Instrumentals are nice. 5/10 - I Do Not Want This: Not feeling this one. Okay. 4/10 - Big Man With A Gun: Okay. Instrumentals are nice. 5/10 - A Warm Place: Nice instrumental track. 6/10 - Eraser: Okay. 5/10 - Reptile: Okay. 5/10 - The Downward Spiral: Liked the first half. 5/10 - Hurt: A good song. I like Johnny's cover more however. I still appreciate the original. 7/10 Final thoughts: Not a bad album overall. Not my personal taste however. Felt some parts dragged on a bit and some was too loud for my taste. I liked the theme (?) of the album and could really sense this person's downward spiral and felt they did a good job in conveying that feeling especially through the instrumentals and lyrics.

sick

I think my friends Stewart and Roald would really like this. Very dark and sinister, like watching an underground horror film where you are pretty sure it is fake but a small part of you is thinking maybe this is real? Anyway, I'm not a big fan but I can appreciate this to some extent. Musically it's an interesting blend of electronic, industrial, goth, and heavy metal. 3 stars.

gritty, industrial, unpleasant in parts, but not wholly awful. Johnny Cash did 'Hurt' better though

Funny listening to this now and thinking I was listening to these lyrics as a 14-year-old girl, but hey, I had good taste back then! I've loved this for years, so innovative and creative and satisfyingly abrasive. Nothing else to say, it's just a masterpiece.

Incredible album from start to finish. I don't know how much I have to add beyond that.

I like the one song; but who doesn’t?

An incredible album. Listened to it far too much, then it became an album with too many (bad) memories so didn't listen to it for years, but in recent times give it a spin every once in a while to marvel at how good it sounds. Who'd have thought the follow-up to Pretty Hate Machine would have sounded like this?

The album that launched a million crywanks.

Väkivaltaista mutta ei huonolla tavalla. Samasta syystä silti hankala pitää (tarkoituksella tietty). Silti viehätyn omanlaisuudesta. Miksi Hurt on miksattu noin kovalle?

Perustasoltaan noin kakkosta. Jahkailusta ja kuiskalusta miinusta yksi tähti. Hurtista plus yksi tähti.

This is an album that I have owned on CD since it was released in the 90s. As an angsty teenager, NIN was in constant rotation. They were my gateway to industrial music. When I was younger, I dug this album because it was abrasive and angry. It captured a lot of the emotions I was feeling at the time. The overall concept of the album was lost on me. As an adult I can appreciate the album tells the story of the destruction of man, his downward spiral. While I still listen to many of these songs today, I can admit, I have not listened to this album from start to finish in probably 20 years. It felt like I was visiting with an old friend. As a now 40-something, I can still appreciate this album's chaotic beauty. Nostalgia be damned. This album is still a masterpiece.

dookie

CD

Looking back on this from 2023, it's still good bit also repetitive and cartoonishly angsty.

p748. 1994. 2 stars. Unpleasantly, shouty noise with the occasional whimpering. There is not much to like here. Bonus point for Hurt. Oh, and Johnny Cash's cover is the definitive version, Trent.

"March of the Pigs" es todo lo que está bien

Listen to this if you want to make your life feel more miserable. Lyrics are deep as a puddle. Vocals...just irritating. Not recommended for people in a bad mental state. And ones who appreciate their ears. If you want good electronic music with darker undertones, listen to Depeche Mode. As for depressive industrial music (but less annoying), check out Swans. Best song: Piggy (least annoying one personally, the trip-hop vibe is also not so bad) Worst song: Heresy (screaming made my headache worse)

Loud

I did not like this. Some songs were okay - a little lighter and with more of a melody I liked. But I couldn’t really hear any lyrics in some songs and it just sounded like ambient noise. Having said that, my 10 month old seemed to really like it.

"The Downward Spiral" is the second full length studio album by American industrial band Nine Inch Nails. It is a concept album following the self-destruction of a man from the beginning of his disliking of humankind and society to his suicidal breaking point. It was also recorded in the LA mansion of Sharon Tate where she infamously was murdered by Charles Manson; a house NIN leader Trent Reznor had rented. You had me at either point. The album wad conceived by Reznor during NIN's 1991 Lollapalooza tour where he was feeling alienated and disinterested. The album has elements of industrial, rock, techno, metal and ambient music. Reznor avoided straight-forward guitars and synths and designed and recorded the sound with his computer using loops, distortion, and samples. He also used samplers, digital drums and various digital synths. Yeah, this is a very unique and textured album. Jane's Addiction's Stephen Perkins and guitarist Adrian Belew were also involved. Reznor drew inspiration from David Bowie's "Low" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall." Oh boy, where are we going? Well, we get to meet our antagonist/protagonist in "Mr Self-Destruct." Drum machine/mechanical pounding. Noises. Reznor whispering and screaming. Fast-slow-fast. He's powerful, violent, and has urges of sex and addiction. Synths soften things up on "Piggy." The song builds. The song is based on a NIN guitarist leaving the band and his nickname but in this story it's about a girl leaving our guy. The dance gets going on "Heresy." This sounds like a mix between Prince and Ministry. Actually this song rocks. "God is dead and no one cares." God is dead to him. A pounding fast, repetitive drum beat begins "The March of Pigs." Our protagonist hates the conformity of society. Also, supposedly about Reznor's viewing people dance at his concerts. A subtle piano ending. And then we come to "Closer." A weird, eerie and somewhat funky song. The video is something everyone remembers and, of course, the line "I want......like an animal and feel you from the inside." About sex? Reznor says no. It's about self hatred and obsession. Hmmm? Samples Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing." "Ruiner" continues the dance beat. Another cool groove. The Ruiner takes control. Mechanical drums dominate "The Becoming" and our man is transforming into something non-human. Albeit, there's hope in "A Warm Place." His human side trying to shine through. An instrumental and ambient music. The only happy song on the album. It's short lived as he's losing his mind in "The Eraser." Evil sounding synths and Reznor screaming. His life appears to come to an end in "The Downward Spiral." Eerie insect and mechanical pump noises. Reznor is barely audible. The video game makers of Halo, Biosphere and Resident Evil were listening. The album concludes with "Hurt." I'm a big fan of both the NIN and Johnny Cash versions. The NIN version has swirling background noises, hypnotic guitar and Reznor taking his emotions all over the place. Cash goes to a place and stays there. About heroin addiction? Self hate? Is our protagonist looking at himself as s ghost and regretting what he did? Yeah, probably all of that. Whew, what a ride. I got this album when it came out and liked it for certain songs. Listening to it now knowing the story takes it a whole other level. Maybe a level you don't want to go to. I liked the way some of the songs can be interpreted within the context of the story or separately on their own: each maybe having different meanings. However, influential, it definitely is. The industrial sound you hear in other artists, video games, movies and probably more. You can absolutely see why Reznor became very successful in making movie soundtracks and also why he went himself into a drug downward spiral.

It’s definitely a downward spiral. I really don’t like this. Make mine the Nine Inch Snails: Give me some salt And turn me to gel A whole lot better dan NIN, to my ears at least.

Hurt proves that the songwriting is great. But dear god the performance of all the other songs is beyond unlistenable. Pure cacophony Trent Reznor was right though: Johnny Cash did make Hurt his song

This sub-genre of rock is just dreadful. It sounds so bad, there is no concept to the songwriting other than a deliberate attempt to sound unconventional which just irritates me.

While the concept album conveyed the angst and dreary feeling of the story very well, the music itself was just not for me. Heavily distorted, at times hard to even understand the lyrics and songs that were long and often without highlights

OK but a bit samey - It seemed to rumble along with no tracks standing out The one exception is "hurt" but I think this was done better my Johnny Cash

Dark rollercoaster of sequenced noise. Pretty amazing production. Comes with a lot pressure and power which is the backbone of this „Downward Spiral“. If you’re not so much into being yelled 24/7 this may be a tough piece of work. But beyond that it‘s worth to give it an attentive session. There‘s a lot to witness getting lit on fire. 3.1

When Trent Reznor brought the industrial sounds to a bigger audience by focusing on songwriting. It's a classic

One of my all time favorites

I WILL BECOME AN ANGST ENGINE

3+

Nothing but respect for Reznor, but NIN doesn't hit me in the feels.

Far ahead of its time.

pas mon genre mais ça sonne !!

Som sandpapir mot ørene.

me encantó sorprendentemente porque el inicio hasta closer maso me pareció pesadísimo pero después moooy boeno 7.5 / 10 pq sí sé que no es lo que suelo escuchar

I didn't really vibe with it

Can do without this in my life, although the songs and music got better over the length of the album.

Dokladnie jak mowi tytul ta plyta to istna spirala w czelusci industrialnej muzyki, wiec jednego z moich ulubionych gatunkow, ktory dokonal syntezy elektronicznego klikania i wyjcowania rodem z metalowych krazkow, ale spirala jest na tyle dluga, ze znajdzie sie kilka sluchalnych trakow, jak chocby piggy, albo nawet nie trakow tylko fragmentow utworow, bo sa to kompozycje mocno chaotyczne, ale tez roznorodne jednoczesnie, bo otwieranie ostra gitara, przejscie elektronikowe zeby skonczyc spokojnym woklaem w akompaniamencie akustyka, wiec zdecydowanie udalo sie uchwycic motyw rozpadu czlowieka i kontemplementacje autodestrukcji, bo jest to album konceptowy, a koncept jest zawarty juz w samym tytule, wiec 65 minut grania na 14 kawalkach, pomysl ciekawy, ale raczej nie puscilbym sobie tego drugi raz, bo industraialne brzmienie nadal nie jest moja bajka, a najlepiej brzmi wlasnie w bajkach lub gierkach jesli tak sobie pomysle, na plejke dodam wspomniany utwor piggy, chyba klawiaturka odmawia wspolpracy, wiec prjekt pojdzie na mrozenie do czasu wyczyszczenia

I wasn’t able to give this the full attention it deserved but I liked what I heard. 3*, could have been higher if I’d paid attention.

I liked it. I wish I'd like NIN more than I do... A Warm Place is an absolute peach though and almost worth a four for that alone.

Trent Rezner is an incredible writer, performer and arranger. This album I'm not a big fan of. I do enjoy plenty of his other stuff. There's a big difference in this album from his other stuff.

Mixed feelings. 23 yr old me loved the raw angst of this album, 53 yr old me doesn’t connect to it in the same way. It was a quick trip down memory lane for me but not one I’ll revisit any time soon.

Rock industrial. Una mierda bastante gorda.

нннну не так не в кассу как я ожидала) но не моя музыка

An absolute masterpiece of texture, soundscape, and emotion. I'm even more upset at my high-school self for sticking my nose in the air at this type of music and missing out on going to see them live.

I mean, that industrial sound when well executed and not just done to alienate the masses really hits for me.

rock dad music

I always thought NiN would be a band that I'd absolutely hate. I'd always see people wearing NiN shirts and feel this aversion to it/them deep in my bones. Over the years, I've kind of softened that position (because it's stupid), so I definitely went into this with a more open mind than I would have 10 years ago. I didn't love it, but it definitely had its moments. Standouts: Piggy, March of the Pigs, Closer, Ruiner, Hurt

I liked about 50% of it.

omg. no. nails on a chalkboard. i hate this. i don’t even need to explain why i hate this. 👎👎👎👎👎 Not one good thing in this album.

Van Gogh was not crazy - just perhaps ahead of his time. My ears are crying. 1/10 1 star.

Unnecessary.

DNF

The first part of the album sounded like noise rather than music. The latter part wasn’t too horrible, but not my cup of tea. I found myself actually kind’ve liking ‘Reptile’ and ‘Hurt,’ primarily because of Johnny Cash. I don’t like them well enough to repeatedly listen though, and if I want to hear ‘Hurt,’ I’ll listen to the Cash version. I knew ‘Closer’ already and it’s cool but I can’t stomach it because of my ex. Overall, I can appreciate some of the interesting time signatures and transitions, but I wouldn’t want to listen to this again. 1/5

One of my all time favorite albums. Very dark, but beautiful.

It sounds just like some of their later songs I'm familiar with and like ("Head Like a Hole, "The Hand That Feeds"). The overall concept for the album is interesting, but you really need to be in a good mental place because songs are angry and violent and depressing. This is not an album to sing when you want to get your frustrations out.

I really feel like there is an amazing blend of loud and soft, hard and gentle, dis chord and melody and poetic and beastial lyrics. It’s not easy listening but this album is a work of art.

I was transported back to a time where this music was too old and too heavy for me. Funny how so much time can pass and yet things remain the same. Also, sorry NIN, like the Zutons and Valerie, Hurt is not your song anymore. Good job.

So intense and weird. Only Trent Reznor (and Johnny Cash) could make these lyrics work. Its so personal and uncomfortable but also super broad. It feels like such a window into someone’s head who’s having a downward spiraI who’s not really w/ reality any more. love the ambient sounds and textures that give the whole thing this disturbing sound. This was my older brothers favorite album and I grew up with this album. Not sure how would I feel about it if I were to hear it for the first time now. Closer is such an amazing song. Super challenging listening through but satisfying every few years. I always used to used to skip a few songs too.Trent Reznor definitely made something with a sound so unique I really can’t think of anything that sounds at all like it. The production is so good!

This is a great soundtrack for being on the subway. I’m not sure I would listen to this again intentionally but I’m glad it exists and I had a fun listening to it. It’s so grimy and industrial sounding

I LOVED this album when I was in high school. What’s interesting is that I still love so much of the music I listened to back then but NIN didn’t make the cut somehow. Listening to this was a nice trip down memory lane but I could go another 15 years before listening again.

A great album. Trent really turns what music is on its ear while still making it listenable. Most of the time.

Very NIN

I went down a big NIN hole a few years ago. One could call it a spiral. This was never my favorite of their albums, and I think it sags in the middle, but it's still great. The opening and ending are good enough to bang this up to a 4 at least.

Hey pig... yeah you... So good. I love this album.

Very industrial. Unique sound. Lyrics are cringe AF at times.

Great album. Closer and Hurt are great tracks

i feel like i should have liked this more than i did. the overwhelming feeling is that its a bit messy, it could have been refined. a ten track album would have worked better for me. maybe i'm missing the point and the album needs all of the ambient noise to accentuate the aggressive noisy bits but then maybe i'm the next big thing producer and i could have brought unimaginable fortunes and turned trent into the next justin timberlake. i hope trent thinks about that next time he's at the oscars.

Nine inch dildos

I'm guessing a good chunk of the world believes that Johnny Cash wrote "Hurt". We shouldn't correct them. The Man In Black, in his dying days, didn't just take Trent Reznor's song and make it his own. It's the equivalent of sleeping with another man's wife - with his blessing, no leas - and developing such a deep love that she ultimately forgets her first husband even existed. And it's not like Reznor's version is horrible. It's just not what Rick Rubin and Johnny Cash found in the song. Don't cry for Trent Reznor though. He still "owns" Closer until he lets someone else sleep with that wife, too. Besides, Nine Inch Nails are overrated.

👍

3.5 stars. A lot of heavy and dark lyrics, can feel the emotion from the singer. Musically the ominous rock is distorting and grinding. Standouts are the sexually explicit "Closer" and "Ruiner"

Hurt, as done by Johnny Cash, makes me wanna cry. The arrangement and voice know how to evoke emotion. It is beautiful. The original also makes me wanna cry. But for the reason that it just does not have that same impact. The only song that I can say I liked on here was A warm place. There was no singing on it which perhaps says it all. I still love the song Hurt but as sometimes happens, the cover surpasses the original and makes you never want to revisit the progenitors. There were some nice background tunes but they lost me when Trent Reznor started singing. But for the fact that Hurt exists at all I give it a 2.

Industrial noise ... rock?!? I somehow like this album. 3.5/5

This music does not fit for me. I respect their reputation. Do not enjoy it.

Very important record for industrial/noise rock. Very, very dark and grim. It follows the “Downward Spiral” of a man, ultimately ending in his suicide. Not a bad record, but some of the lyrics are cringe in retrospect. I would’ve loved this shit when I was in high school.

Boring, juvenile and quite irritating

Love hate relationship here. I got this album when was first released. Most of this is noise but I do love "Closer" and "Hurt". I do have fond memories lustening to this album but I wouldn't want MY kids listening to it...LOL!! This one falls in the middle for me.

It’s a hard album to listen to at times. I think that’s the point.

My reaction to this album today is pretty much identical to my reaction when this first came out. I had friends who were intensely into this album, so I was familiar with it, and back then, as now, my overwhelming thought was, "Jesus, man, lighten up." So yeah, I get this is supposed to channel extreme angst and anger and — how the hell am I supposed to know what Trent was going through? Anyway, the sounds are good and he's certainly created a vibe and a mystique and an empire by this point, so good on him. But this is too noisy and overwrought for me to enjoy. Even the "hits" are just too much. I don't relate.

I just can't with this guy. But I fixed it by listening to Einstürzende Neubauten. Ahhh... much better.

People really like industrial rock? Closer always made me feel weird. I guess that's the point if this whole album is about the downward spiral to suicide. Recording in the location of the Manson murders makes me dislike this album even more. I don't ever need to listen to this album again.

This was an interesting album. This is truly an alt record. The chord progressions arent anything crazy but they make them fun/spooky enough to stay cool. Very sad vibes on this one. There are some good ass songs on here. I really like the instrumental tracks the most like a warm place and the downward spiral. Can't listen to Hurt without thinking of Johnny. Good album 6/10

Notes - Industrial rock/electronic music with metal elements - its a concept album about a man’s downward spiral - Lots of recurring lyrical and musical motifs across the album - Lots of references to pigs on here - Recorded in the house where some of the Manson murders took place - Features guitarist Adrian belew! Love him! - Wasn’t expecting to enjoy it this much based on the other times I’ve listened to them, but it really hit! Fav - Ruiner - Love the big synths at the chorus and the drum sound - Bonus shoutout to eraser, really cool song\ Least Fav - The becoming - I like the vibe a lot but it didn’t hit me quite as hard as the other songs 5/5

Interesting take but very hard to listen and not enjoyable at all

The album that gave us Closer, but is so much more than that. It takes a bit to warm up in my opinion but Closer till the end is just bangers Saved tracks: Closer, Ruiner, A Warm Place, Eraser, Reptile, Hurt

If power tools started a band. Sounded like what would play at the Zoolander Derelicte fashion show. Too chaotic for me

Tuve tiempo de escucharlo de fondo no más, entretenido

I went through this so you don't have to. Don't repeat my mistake.

Some techno metal type stuff I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about this band/album but this shit hot garbage

Powerful and grim.

Interesting stuff. Not an everyday listen, but good stuff.

5 starts if not for Closer, which while not bad, I've heard too often

Appreciate the ground-breaking it did for electronica in the 90's, but it's always been an album that hasn't resonated with me.

Ich mag diesen industrial sound extrem gerne. Teilweise sehr elektronische Klänge in Verbindung mit aggressiverem Rock. Sehr nice!

I have no idea why anyone would listen to this

4.5/5. Listening to this album definitely makes you feel like you're spiralling in a downwards direction, but in a good way. There's a lot of care and attention to detail given to the production and the sampling is in top form, this record really separates itself from all the other 90s alternative rock stuff.

Very few artists are capable of the tremendous courage and unabashed vulnerability it takes to bare their whole soul in all its most disturbing glory to the world through their art. So many of them try, but so few succeed in exposing themselves and their central existential struggles with the conviction and compulsion that Trent Reznor does. This album feels like it wasn’t just a cathartic exercise for him, but a soul saving necessity, a blood-letting, a desperate attempt to cure the incurable darkness within. Almost 30 years later and it looks like he has slain those demons, or at least pacified them, and has made it on through to the other side. Good for him. I don’t particularly care to wallow in Reznor’s misery, he’s too dark and too disturbed for me to enjoy musically in a heaping dose. But I appreciate that this is a lifesaving work of art and I rate it as such.

Very impressive album. I love the synth sounds in here and the electronic sounding drums. I have never listened to this album before, but I certainly see why this is considered one of the best albums from the 90s.

Good noise mixture

Genuinely up there with one of the worst pieces of music I have even encountered. There is nothing endearing, enjoyable or entertaining about this, it’s just noise

It has not been a pleasant nor enjoyable experience to listen to this BUT I must admit it's incredibly interesting and well crafted. Unfortunately it's not for me and I don't think I'll listen to this again.. so 5 stars for the art, 1 star for the experience

Hmmm. Very angry. Very lost. Was it cathartic for the young man? Puking up all that phlegm? We can only hope he has found some tranquility.

It’s been a while, but today we have an album I’m already somewhat familiar with. I think I peaked in strangeness a few years ago when I performed in a burlesque show to around 10 people, performing as a vicar that strips and turns into a leopard to the sound of Closer by Nine Inch Nails. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites after listening: March Of the Pigs, Closer, Hurt Despite this not exactly being a new album, it feels it could easy be the soundtrack to a cyberpunk story. The music sounds far ahead of its time, blending aspects of metal and techno into something that just works excellently. You can also see how Trent Reznor went on to win Oscars for soundtracks. The lyrical theme is very emo - but before emo was really a genre. And instead of crying-angst, it’s very much punch-myself-in-the-face-angst without crossing the line into more cringy territory (cough… Limp Bizkit… cough). Overall, not only a great album to listen to when you need to release frustration, but a genuinely excellent album I can easily enjoy at any time. To my ears, this is perfection.

Goddamn, this noise inside Trent's head. The first of his soon to be many magnum opuses, The Downward Spiral has become something of a vessel whose blood still flows with increasing speed nearly thirty years after its release. Regardless of the place that housed its gestation, shock over some of the lyrical features of the songs contained and the surprising grip it held over some of America's most revered musicians, this was the beginning of a bountiful road for Trent Reznor as he rose from respectable industrialist to one of the most acclaimed composers of our time.

Unique sound. Good album!

mate this is sick it's heavy like metal, but its too 'alternative' to be proper metal. screaming vocals, very good drums also awesome album art. Some electronic moments too, which are cool. I can see why this is popular. Yes...the drumming is a big standout of this album.

Interesting mix of Electronica and metal. Johnny Cash did a cover of Hurt, that may have been better than this original version. Overall a good album.

Its ok

i mean come on. This one's a Certified Hood Classic (tm). deranged, obsessive, embittered - i get why all the goth kids from early 2000s were obsessed with NIN. instrumentation is wildly inventive, lyrics dark and frankly concerning. Good shit!

Nope. Still don’t like it.

Fajne

The word that kept popping into my head as I listened to was “visceral.” This is an album I’ve always meant to listen to and it didn’t disappoint.

It was just good front to back. It fell into place on a day where I wanted to listen to it. If I was in a different mood, it might've gotten 4 stars.

When it dropped, I felt very let down. I had wanted a reprise to Pretty Hate Machine, an album with outsize influence on my probably owing to all the time I spent with girlfriend Joanna listening to it. But in this album, they seemed to lose the melody with the exception of 'Piggy' which is a terrific song, but with lyrics that for some reason offended me then. I like that sound now, words and all. Nothing can stop me now. Closer on this album is pretty epic and definitely was an important early college song that got a lot of air time at parties etc. Hurt left me feeling shattered. Still does. I leaned on that song in hard times and I still do. It's an important one. When Johnny Cash did it, I felt like Gen X had been fully vindicated by the aging boomers. It was a nod and a passing of the torch. It's a gorgeous empire of dirt.

Crazy that so much good music can come from so much noise. Closer was the hands down MTV favorite, and I think it won best video award of the year- and rightfully so, but the real winner on this album is the original emo classic, March of the Pigs. Oh yeah, I said it... March of the Pigs is emo... deal with that, people. Regardless, the range of emotion on this album is incredible. NIN is often thought of as a goth industrial band, but this album illustrates some of the far reaching talents of Trent Reznor. This album is so different from the music then or even now. Absolutely brilliant.

The shocking and attention-grabbing "Closer" video certainly was a memorable part of my early teens musical taste expansion, but I was never quite sucked into becoming a Nine Inch Nails fan. I just wasn't ready for that much abrasive industrial chaos. And I'm still not. I think Trent Reznor is a creative, impressive, and fascinating musician, but most of NiN isn't for me. "Closer" is amazing though. And Reznor's film and TV scores are great. It looks like "The Downward Spiral" is the only NiN on the list, which is interesting, as I think "Pretty Hate Machine" is probably at least as good and is more impressively influential coming out in 1989.

Everything about this album, even the chaos, feels like a purposeful choice with a specific point of view. It's emotional and demands attention. That being said, a lot of this album makes me feel a little ill. The opening lyrics of Closer make me deeply uncomfortable. The whole album is about self-destruction but that song and Big Man with a Gun very explicitly detail how that self-destruction violently drag others down too and the glorification of those darker thoughts have always left me on edge.

Fuck I if this isn’t some great wallow music. Didn’t love a couple songs in the back half but Hurt is a star by itself.

The first “Doesn’t it make you feel betterrr …………………………,” is so great. The piano break juxtaposed against the industrial sound, the 6 second anticipation-inducing pause, and the reengagment with the concussive sound is the best moment, amongst many, on the album. The main riff to Closer is probably my second part of the album. The concept of a person’s downward spiral through depression to suicide is incredibly well executed. Even more impressive to me is that Trent Reznor wrote all the tracks and mostly played all the musical parts, being a one man wonder band. That’s talent. Nothing after March Of The Pigs and Closer rises again to these levels, leaving me to want a bit more. This is a very good, but not quite great, album for me.

Here's how good Trent Reznor is - this stuff is comedically angry and bleak. And yet - very listenable. I love the sound of it and there are occasional sparks of greatness. My mind wanders a bit on the way through, but he makes bleeps and booms sound better than most people.

Goodness me, this was different sauce back in the day. I can smell the felt tip pen ink now just listening to it; anyone else have a bunch of kids at their school with the NIN logo doodled next to that of Korn, Slipknot etc on their back packs? Pretty damn good even today. Might bust out the black nail polish a bit later.

I love it. This whole era of NIN from Pretty Hate to Broken to this album... I was the poster child for their target demo, minus the divorced parents, and it worked completely. Nobody sounded like this. I still don't think anyone sounds like this. If someone asks you what industrial metal is you can just hand them this album. And yet it's more than that! If there's a nit to pick, it's that I've never felt the sequencing made for the optimal listening experience. From "March of the Pigs" on this album just does not miss a beat. I love those first three songs on their own! But I think they'd be better off dispersed somewhere else on the album. Would that break up the flow of the rest of it? Maybe. But I bet there's a solution. If there's a 2nd nit to pick it's that at times the lyrics are pretty damn basic. ("God is dead. And no one cares." Kinda low hanging fruit, no?) But I think those moments are surrounded by songs like "Closer" - which I was kind of floored by how well that song holds up after 8 thousand listens - and "Hurt" and "The Becoming" which I think are much more nuanced. And for real, that out of nowhere piano-driven line of "Doesn't it make you feel better?" in "March of the Pigs" might be my favorite moment of musical cynicism of the entire decade. I really enjoyed listening to this again. If Pretty Hate Machine isn't on this list because of Kid Rock then burn down the entire internet.

Really amazing industrial rock album. Feels like a complete piece of work that is meant to be listed to in full. Very heavy and negative, so not something I'm going to put on every day personally but a great album. Standout tracks: Mr. Self Destruct, Heresy, Closer, I Do Not Want This, The Downward Spiral, Hurt

Nothing can stop me now, ‘cause I just don’t care… Just another step toward growing fangs.

The epitome of "this just isn't for me". Too dark, too raw, too intense... I could go on and on. Definitely creative and unlike anything I have heard before, but mostly in a bad way from my perspective. It just came across as mostly noise as tracks such as 'Mr. Self Destruct' and 'Ruiner' were nearly unlistenable. I'd describe it all as hardcore, industrial, emo dubstep grunge (too accurate IMO). I can respect it for taking chances, but I don't see it being a positive influence to the genre overall as it's just too weird. The best moments on the album were when it slowed down a bit: 'A Warm Place' was a highlight in terms of how it felt more grounded/mature. I found that this song definitely showed the potential that Trent Reznor had for doing soundtracks that he would excel at in the future. This was also my first time hearing the original version of 'Hurt'; while it is an amazingly written song, the version on here has terrible production and pales in comparison to what Johnny Cash did with it a few years later. Overall, I just don't relate to this one and have no need to come back to it despite how well the band/album is regarded. 2/5.

Catchy while still being unsettling an staying true to it's industrial roots. Lyrics and vocals convey the emotion of the album very effectively.

Yllättävän hyvää settiä, luulin et tää ois liian örinää mulle, mut jatkoon!

Not bad but too noisy.

Mid

Not my thing.

really not my thing

This gets a 4 instead of a 5 because some tracks are just a little bit too harsh for my ears. It's great art, but I also prefer my music to be enjoyable to listen to. Mixing is fantastic though. Syncopated drums in the latter half of Piggy are a standout.

Enjoyed this more than expected!

Reptile, eraser, heresy - what an album this is.

Really interesting album. Didn't know what to expect but I did end up liking it quite a bit. Some more unique sounding pieces.

Fucking awful

Mostly industrial, noisy and abrasive, but there are several synth pop and more conventional songs that aren’t too bad (notably Closer and the original of Hurt that Johnny Cash later made his own). Far far better than Ministry or Marylyn Manson. Still not sure about all the praise - one of the important albums of the 1990s? No!

Sesenta y cinco minutos de lo que sólo se puede calificar como una encerrona. Cada vez que llega un riff chulo o una melodía que puede ser interesante prefieren arruinarla inmediantamente -quiero pensar que a posta- para dejarte con el mal sabor de boca. El edging que se lo quede al que le guste pero que no cuenten conmigo

太硬核了，欣赏不来

A key album in its genre

A downer of an album that defined an era of "alternative" albums which were truly unique sonically. I missed the techno influence the first time around, and appreciate that and the way that Reznor is able to fade industrial tracks into one another so well. The album's unifying conceit doesn't hold together perfectly through the close, but the up-and-down-but-mostly-down is an intricate rendering of angry young man mind.

A modern(ish) day classic. 5/5

Spurði @kalliogidilo fyrifram hvað ég myndi gefa þessari plötu. Vorum sammála um tvist (sorrý, Bowie). Sumar útsetningar töff, en það er of mikið öskrað í filter og ekkert gleður, kannski ekki tilgangurinn, en ég vil þetta ekki.

I want to fuck you like an animal. I want to feel you from the inside. You get me closer to god.

I hear something new each time I listen.

Adorei o álbum, ouvi algumas vezes. Uma banda para se conhecer mais, tem um estilo meio melancólico que eu gosto muito. Melhores músicas: Closer, Piggy, Ruiner e minha amada e favorita Hurt!

I've never been a huge fan of NIN. In high school, I thought they were a metal band; I was very disappointed when I finally listened to them and discovered it was "just techno." Listening as a full-grown adult, I still find it hard to connect with most of the lyrics. Maybe I'm just not edgy and angry enough? I will say, I loved a good portion of the album, especially the back portion as the vocals seem to bleed out of the tracks and the music takes on a darker, harsher tone. I'm about 80% closer (ha) to "getting it" and can see why this album is held in high regard.

Trent Reznor is the man who convinced me industrial music could be more than just a gimmick genre. It could be an art masterpiece. It's an album that reflects inner turmoil. On first listen, it's nothing but a wall of abrasive noise, but underneath lies layers of beautiful melodies and organization that we only get hints at times. At heart it's synthpop, with tracks like "Heresy" and "Closer" perfect for a dance groove at a rave with extreme moments that pull your attention toward the music. It's an incredibly emotional album, displaying feelings of hatred, confusion, and despair that no one else has really done before. I love the reoccurring motifs revisited in several songs which make the album feel complete as a concept album. The track ordering is well designed, with the first several songs showing the chaotic versatility that Reznor is capable of, and the last 5 songs a sense of hopelessness and despair in giving it all up. And the transitions in between are amazing. Some cuts are smooth, like the extended silence at the end of "March of the Pigs", but others can be sharp like the cut of the chaotic "Ruiner" into the mechanical horror show of "The Becoming" which fits with the themes of the protagonist's disorganized mindset. Despite being over an hour long, I wouldn't cut any songs, enjoying the whole experience from start to finish, although I could see how one could lost focus in the latter half. For me, it's a beautiful and introspective extended end. This might not even be my favorite album by NIN, but I'd argue it's their most complete and influential, and certainly one I'll revisit time and time again.

I generally like nine inch nails pretty well. This didn't catch me on a day when I was in the mood I guess, as I didn't enjoy it that much.

Lost track of this site for a bit. Glad to have come back to this album. One of the best from the era.

This brilliant album captures a very specific period of time. Still in rotation for me. (It may have even contributed to the conception of my first child 🤷‍♂️)

Mmmmm industrial. 3.5/5

I liked it more than I thought I would. Not an easy listen but it is actually quite musical. Would listen again.

Ça pour une surprise

c'était le moment de passer l'aspirateur

Unique experience.

Love that Freznor chose to work with Russell Mills for the cover art. Art that come about in the mid century and inspired the grungy aesthetic of 90's music. First album I've played twice. The album I had previously was Frank Sinatra's wee small hours so it's jarring to go from wee small hours to the downward spiral. It's like I'm going backwards on the 5 stages of grief. I started at acceptance and sadness with Frank Sinatra and now NIN has moved me to anger, bargaining, denial, and blissful ignorance.

Mr Self Destruct: Someone is getting slapped and it turns into a drum beat. Feels like I’m in a car chase in I fast and furious. It’s quiet now and someone is whispering. SOMEONE GOT SHOT AND WERE BACK TO SCREAMING. He’s talking about being used and being controlled. Loud distortion towards the end. Piggy: immediately quieter than the last song and great contrast from that distortion from the end of the last track. Weird noise in my left speaker possibly a train? Soft vocals make the bass and synth pop which I enjoy. Various sound effects in the background possibly rainforest? Another train sound effect? Drums have been slowly added in to the mix of percussion instruments. More distortion at the end but less than last track and finishes withs funky synth and guitar. Heresy: Falsetto vocals are fine contrast to loud electronic synth. Nevermind he’s screaming into the mic. He’s talking about how god is dead and he’ll see us in hell😃 Wing flapping sound effects possibly demon? March Of The Pigs: Fast drum bit with 8bit synth. More yelling on his part talking about wanting something but he doesn’t like it. Quick Bowie like piano segment that softens his vocals and stops music for a bit but goes back into screaming. Crude imagery about killing pigs. Again with the Bowie type piano segment which lasts much longer and ends out the song Closer: Very crude imagery of this man wanting to get intimate with us😳 Funky synth. High pitched synth that acts like the strings. I don’t think he’s referring to us. He says he will go to great lengths to be with this person, even saying their the reason he stays alive. Ends with distorted piano and reverse tape loops. Ruiner: End of last song transitions into this song with the piano. More sex imagery. Harmony begins. Break from loud vocals to quiet bass with sound effects behind it. Bluesy Electric guitar solo transitions into heavy metal guitar solo. Synth rises the tension. Song ends abruptly with no real end. The Becoming: Tape loops of people screaming as he sings in his soft voice. He’s talking about how he’s changed as a person the last time we saw him. Quick guitar strumming with soft vocals. Sporadic industrial synth. There is a bad voice inside his head that makes him this way. Song closes out with soft acoustic strumming as it transitions to the next song with static sound. I Do Not Want This: He doesn’t want us to do things for him, he insists us to stop. Radio chatter? Gravely voice overshadowed by loudness. Crude imagery of how he wants to do everything. Big Man With A Gun: Sporadic screaming with intense synth and drum beat. He had a gun and he is going to kill us all😳 Song ends abruptly. A Warm Place: Its awfully quiet, too quiet. No vocals just strings and bass and peaceful ambience. Synth finally coming around 2:20 mark still very soft though with guitar plucking. Song comes to close with tremolo to the strings and spray bottle noises. Eraser: Spray bottle noise continues with humming noises. Drum beat follows. No vocals still at least half way through. Soft vocals saying ever adjective that ends in “you”. Loud vocals now saying every adjective that could end in “me” specifically “Kill me” Abrupt finish but does have an end. Reptile: Factory machine noises as soft plucking is layered over. Loud synth, drums, and tape loops of screeching plays over and over again. He is talking about his girl being similar to a reptile, as she has cold blood and dead eyes. Someone may be getting murdered as this song is among the scariest this album has to offer in terms of sound and theme. The Downward Spiral: Factory noises are distorted this time around and are drowned out be flies and other mysterious noises. Soft guitar plucking makes situation friendlier somehow. “Strawberry Fields Forever” in the background? Out of tune guitar strumming as wind gushes over us. Cat purring? Muffled screaming as a man talks over it about how he has committed a murder by shooting the man in the face. Chilling imagery. Hurt: Immediate contrast to every single song in this album with soft vocals and acoustic guitar with soft static in the background. Gives off chilling and depressing imagery of a man who’s lost everything. Vocals rise and drum beat follows. Back to just acoustic and soft vocals. His vocals are broken and you can here the pain I’m his voice. The emotion is strong with this one it is absolutely heartbreaking. One final distorted electric guitar riff to end his verse with his final line. White noise fills an empty abyss we can’t see the end of. Static closes out the song and puts a finish to the suffering. Final thoughts: This album is a masterpiece of its music trade. Though I may not be a fan of the style Nine Inch Nails is portraying, I can not deny the genius work behind this magnum opus of an album. As the story goes, it follows the story of a lonely man who has nothing in life and slowly goes insane over the period of this album, each song gets more intense than the last, showing the insanity going through his mind. His devious and evil thoughts were portrayed perfectly with the heavy industrial synth and many odd sound effects appearing in each song, and once you eventually reach the quick piano breaks in “March Of The Pigs” the contrast is incredibly stark, showing possibly and sense of relief in the man. On side B we then hear “A Warm Place” which is the perfect contrast the album was waiting as it’s quieter with soft acoustics, strings, bass, and other peaceful ambiance, it makes you think over the last 30 minutes of screaming and cries for help and places you in a sense of warmth and love, which is almost immediately tarnished with the next song “Eraser” yet even that is tamer than the likeness of Side A. Side B provides an incredible conclusion of insanity that this man’s life was leading up too, eventually killing a man and quite possibly ending his own, as the album closes out with the heartbreaking, final goodbye that is “Hurt” which is an immediate contrast to everything, with soft tender vocals, acoustic guitar and a sense of loss and forgiveness for his action. I’ve never heard emotion so strong in song than this, made only better with the hour buildup of insanity, making this album a true masterpiece of the art.

Nice album

Don't understand why this was so popular. Kinda trash

I wish I knew what the heck they were saying

I remember this album from way back. I mean, I guess I remember the two songs from it that reached a wide audience. And I remember NiN as a cultural force. It was good to listen to it again. As it began I thought "Oh, edgy teenager shit" but then it really did begin to warm me over. And by the time I was 3/4 of the way through I was thinking about Trent Reznor. Because I'm sure these days, and those days too, the band tours with a full accompaniment of performers to make the songs sound good. But this band, this guy, was never about all of that. When I think of this guy, I think of him sitting alone in a room turning knobs on a board to make the sounds he wants. I like that. I identify with it. Still, kind of got old by the second half of the second half. Still, he knew to end it with Hurt and that's pretty awesome.

It's a little much. But ok.

It was ok. Some was hard to listen to, maybe because I already had a headache, and it felt like nine inch nails on a chalkboard at that point, but also a couple of the songs while driving made me feel like a super powered maniac

I could get in to it a bit but it felt very samey

Great album

not a fan.

One I didn't enjoy back in the day but loved this time through

It was like being back in high school...I had all the angst and energy all over again.

It is long. And the first half is fairly monotonous industrial - but the songwriting improves a lot in the second half. Ending of course with Hurt, a song just about anyone from the past 60 years would give their eye teeth to have written.

Not my thing

I really enjoy NIN's music and I'm happy to see them on this list. I've listened to this album and the others many many times. Mr Self Destruct 2/5 Piggy 3/5 Heresy 5/5 March of the Pigs 3/5 Closer 5/5 Ruiner 3/5 The Becoming 3/5 I Do Not Want This 3/5 Big Man With a Gun 2/5 A Warm Place 3/5 Eraser 3/5 Reptile 5/5 The Downward Spiral 3/5 Hurt I prefer the quiet version so much more, the weird fuzziness? is frustrating to listen to. The quiet version is easily a 5/5 though. Overall I'd say this is a 4/5 album, lot of cool tracks on it.

Ces gars-là et leur rock industriel m'ont surpris et Dieu sait qu'il en faut beaucoup pour me surprendre. Demandez à Eric Antoine.

Nine Inch Nails fait bien pâle figure après Nirvana.

Closer, Eraser, The downward spiral Hurt

highlights: -hurt holy shit this is something

I love The Downward Spiral. I love that it hits just as hard today, while I load my reusable earth conscience bags into my family car, as it did in 1999 sitting on my bff's floor doing our makeup to go check out guys at the mall.

I appreciate some NIN but this album wasn’t for me.

Unremarkable

I dig the industrial sound of the album but I don't care for lyrics. They are repetitive and edgy, in a way that 14 year old me would probably relate to.

This little piggy needs therapy 🐽

I always liked Trent more than I liked his music. Like, I don't know if I'd actually listen to NIN without having their wikipedia page to scroll through. The lyrics really come off like 14-year-old wrote them (sorry, Big T!). This is a lot funkier than I expected!

The sound is fresh and raw, but there is too much noise, and the lyrics are too obnoxious.

Hurt (one of my favorite songs of all time), Closer, March of the Pigs are some of the greatest industrial rock songs of all time. This album was instrumental in my music tastes growing up. So so so good.

4.5

Pitch-black, gratingly harsh, and uncompromising. Trent Reznor exorcises his demons through a set of songs that demonstrate both his musical virtuosity and his desire to claw his way back from the pit of despair.

Love this album. Its concept is nightmarish, but in my opinion. it’s best listened to as a full album, start to finish. - Nick

Damn. I don't think I've every just sat down with this album and listened but this time I was at my parents in a completely dark room with no windows and gave myself time to just absorb it. For an album made in 1994 it sounds so modern. Could have been created yesterday. Super dark and gritty and I appreciate this album a lot more than I ever did before. Hurt is still the standout to me, but I definitely want to try to find this on vinyl sometime. Another album where the songs individually aren't that appealing as far as adding them to spotify or whatever, but the album as a whole is something to experience.

If Red Hot Chilli Peppers were grumpy satanists who also found a synth.

yesss absolutely unhinged, totally feral, very fun. faves: Heresy, & Closer. some of it was a lot tho, i'm deducting points for Big Man With A Gun & Reptile lmao

Amazing sound, blues rock meets harsh electronic sounds. Organic sounds on the second half of the album acoustic guitar and piano in contrast plays nicely. Complex harmony although sometimes sparse. Edgy lyrics gave me cringitis.

This is a fine album. The vocals generally sound flat but the dynamics are truly impressive. I also like the arrangements which have a nice mix of real instruments and electronic sounds and percussion. The soft loud dynamic shifts are very impressive. And the songs are much more compelling than I thought they'd be. I'm not really a fan of industrial music, but the Downward Spiral house a nice balance between industrial stylings as well as a melodic foundation that I find pleasing. 4 🌟

Bit too intense for me

Whiney incel bollocks

Decent album, didn't think NIN would be on this list, even thought i've barely listened to them before. I can definitely hear Trent's impact going by his newer stuff i've heard. The distortion in some songs I don't like cause it sounds like my headset or whatever is dying.

Every bit as brilliant and disturbing as it was almost 30 years ago.

Either this was an extremely slow burn, or I really did enjoy the second half of the album a lot more than the first. The soundscape was a little overwhelming initially, but then I started to notice the tiny details in the instrumentals. That's when the enjoyment started to kick in.

I've tried listening to this album before, never could get into it. Closer is a great track. Not a fan of the screaming or abrasiveness for some reason, especiallt attached to self loathing or sad boy lyrics.

Very interesting. I like some of Trent’s film score work like Gone Girl and Soul but I didn’t know if I was gonna like NIN. I knew Hurt and Closer. This album is more captivating than the average dad rock album we get recommended every now and then.

it was very good, such a slow burn and I wasn't sold at first but damn... as an album it's fantastic. So much better than any individual song

Amazing not just for NIN but for the genre and for music, especially at the time it was released.

Not first listen, still as disturbing and catchy as I remember it. Standouts: Closer, March of the Pigs, Eraser 11/07/22 PS the last note in “Hurt” will scare me every time I hear it, it seems

L'obra magna del rock industrial i un dels discos més importants, inspirats, dels '90. Complicat, complex, recargolat, va ser el punt àlgid de la carrera de Trent Reznor i una inspiració per molt del que hauria de venir. Gairebé al tocar de les 5*

I'm not a fan of industrial or metal, but this is more melodic than I thought it would be, with some ambient tracks thrown in as well. I guess he was lining up his soundtrack career. Still not a fan.

This was an angry dystopian onslaught of noise that I found virtually unlistenable.

Definitely some interesting ideas with the industrial vibe. The depiction of sex was a bit off putting to me and I was really bugged by how hard the vocals were to depict in the mix

i really couldnt get into this. i think the mixing is weird enough that it just didnt work for me, i didnt enjoy it

Oh, Mr. Reznor.

I know I say this a lot, but I say it a lot because it's accurate: Nine Inch Nails is another in the long list of bands who were big at a time when it seems logical I would have had some exposure to, if not a ton of exposure to, yet somehow I missed completely at the time. Yes, I can be extraordinarily oblivious to the world around me at times. I had definitely heard of them and I had quite a few peers whose musical tastes I often share, at least somewhat, who loved this band. So, all that in mind, I'm very glad I finally listened to an album of theirs. Many of the tracks are superb musically. So incredibly tight! I'm usually not a big fan of screamed lyrics, much as that can be sonically interesting at times, and -- now comes the part where I sound like the Grumpy Old Man I am absolutely becoming in some ways -- I cannot understand a gosh-darn word these folks are saying/singing. I have heard that they are lyrically strong, so maybe I'll go read what the heck it was they were shrieking into their microphones. 'Hurt' is, of course, an iconic and beautiful song and, yes, those words I can hear. That being said, compositionally and performance-wise, I'm very impressed. Some serious skills there and it's superb music.

Much like the last NIN album, I don't get them. Never have, never will.

Not for me, Clive. A couple of good moments - more towards the end of the album than the beginning - but not my cup of tea. It mostly fits well together (although there are a couple of jarring moments), and there's a bit of variety in there, but it's a bit too grim. There are a couple of tracks on there which are really unpleasantly sexual, and the guy needs to pick and choose where to swear better. I imagine NIN don't get compared to Ice Cube much, but I felt similarly after listening to his album - a bit gross. 2/5. Did like Ruiner though.

From Trent Reznor’s Wikipedia page: the artist describes himself nowadays as “a pretty happy person.” You got to stare the Devil in the face to wrest your soul away from Him. This album, to me, is that. Transcendent.

Could have scored higher if they cut it down to a single CD. Also, some tracks they've gone a bit too heavy with the crackling sound effect, takes away from the mix. Standout track - closer

idk yet

I appreciate this for what it is, but it isn't my thing.

Oh no no no

Nah mate not for me ty very much. There was one song I thought I was enjoying slightly more then I realise the album had finished and it was a suggested album from another artist LOL. Just found this all a bit embarrassing with the OTT lyrics etc

Nope

Buen disco

A+ from beginning to end

Very interesting album, strong industrial sound that channels pure violence, anger, pain. It's not about the melodies but about the feeling of this album. I think that bumps it up for me. Hurt is a strong closer.

I'm feeling the groove on Mr. Self Destruct and then on Piggy. Closer is an awesome genre bending single. Hurt is a banger.

Infinite stars! One of the best albums of all time (to me)

ik noget fedt

Excellent. Ce band a défini un courant. Cet album fait le pont entre une musique expérimental, la recherche d’un son nouveau, une attitude métal et les pistes de dance.

Ce n'est pas l'album le plus accessible de la liste et je dois avouer que je ne l'ai pas aimé instantanément. À l'époque, le style du groupe ne me parlait pas. J'y suis revenu plus tard et j'ai complètement embarqué dans l'univers de Trent Reznor à partir de l'album With Teeth. Et encore là, je n'avais pas vraiment pris la peine de revenir à cet album. Je comprends aujourd'hui l'importance de l'album et je peux constater sa qualité. Les textures créées sont super intéressantes et innovantes pour l'époque. Il y a un désir de recherche de nouvelles sonorités même avec les instruments conventionnels comme la guitare. La direction donnée à Andrian Belew pour Mr. Self-Destruct allait dans ce sens. On retrouve sur cet album la sonorité industrielle et violente de Ministry mais traitée de façon plus mélodique. Il y a de la place pour la musique et les mélodies. La prise de son des drums sur Piggy et Eraser est superbe. D'ailleurs, la superposition des drums à la fin de la pièce Piggy rappelle un peu ce que King Crimson faisait autour de cette époque avec son double trio. J'adore comment le beat déroute un peu la pièce alors que la pièce continue bien droite en arrière. Heresy a un petit côté à la Prince que j'aime bien. La pièce Hurt est superbe, mais la version de Johnny Cash avec tout son background est la meilleure version. La pièce Closer est une incontournable. L'album est par contre une petite affaire trop longue. C'est un album à connaître et dans mon cas, à me procurer (je peux pas croire que je ne l'ai pas encore). Pièces préférées: Hurt, The Becoming, Closer, Piggy, Heresy, March Of The Pigs

A big fan of Pretty Hate Machine and a fan of NIN but never spent much time with this particular album so looking forward to getting to know it a bit more. Still, A Warm Place is one of my favourites

Exceptional, uncomfortable, repetitive, draining, occasionally enjoyable, but mostly awkward, and always always moves the listener. One of the most startling albums I have listened to, and still sounds as fresh and unsettling as it always did. Awesome, in every possible sense of the word!

4.25

Trent Reznor's multi-instrumental talents, as well as production techniques, really shine on this album. It has such a distinct sound, and helped to push the industrial sound into more people's Sony Walkman players at the time. I really enjoy the imagery created through sound layering and producing instruments to make them sound like a wall of sound, before falling off a cliff into silence. The vocal tones used by Reznor are also very effective in contributing to the overall mood throughout the record. There is no subtlety in the lyrics, which was common during this period but does not hold up incredibly well over time. The writing is the only aspect that leaves a bad taste. Fave tracks: Heresy, Eraser, Hurt

I really enjoy the wide array of sounds incorporated into this album and the atmosphere it creates. Very effective "world building" using the music to paint a picture of the mental state of someone in a "downward spiral." The use of repetitive, hammering noise, jarring shifts between loud screaming parts and soft whispering parts and dissonant tones all fit in extremely well in this album. I am not too knowledgeable in the industrial rock genre, but I know this album had a big hand in bringing it to mainstream audiences. On the other hand, I find the lyrics here to be too edgy for my taste. I know that the intent was to depict someone in a deranged mental state, but I find that there is no subtlety here, it feels more like a caricature than an accurate description. Overall, it's a middle of the road release for me, would definitely score it higher if the lyrics didn't feel like an edge-lord 4chan post. Which is a little disappointing because I want to like this more, musically there's a lot going on here. Fav tracks: The Becoming, Eraser, Hurt

One of the best!

I really dislike NIN.

Great concept album. Dark, different and energetic. Hadn't listened since I was a kid. Definitely a different experience as an adult.

Listened already, really like it

Just not my jam. The songs I like are great, and several hit hard and are memorable, but overall I'm just not one for the industrial music vibe, at least not yet. The songs that I did like were "Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)", "Closer", "Ruiner", "Eraser", "The Downward Spiral", and "Hurt".

nicreeeeeeeeeeee

Not as good as I remember, Closer gives this album a 3

Some of these songs sound too static-y to me, and sometimes the abrasiveness feels over the top, but overall an amazing collection of songs.

Dikke prima!

Wat rauwer in sound dan de platen daarna, waardoor ie voor mij iets minder goed valt. Wel een aantal erg sterke nummers, maar voor mij kwam hun beste periode net hierna.

Topzwaar! Ik vind NIN aan de ene kant intrigerend, maar ik kan maar met moeite zo'n plaat luisteren zonder er zwaarmoedig van te worden. Maar dat is wellicht ook de bedoeling. 😉

Een aantal tracks zijn me iets te lomp en zwaar, maar met 'Closer' en 'Hurt' wordt het geheel toch in de plus getrokken. Lekker om mee in de Paassferen te komen!

Geprobeerd. Niet voor mij.

I know I've intentionally listened to this album in full before, and I know a few of the tracks already, but NIN has never clicked with me. They occupy the same kinda space as Marilyn Manson does for me: I like a whole bunch of their contemporaries, influences and bands that they influenced, but NIN themselves? nah. That being said, this isn't really a bad album. Nice little period piece of mid-90s alternative. When it does actual music it can be pretty catchy. But it also spends a lot of time being an industrial synthesiser demo, more of an exercising in running the full gamut of available effects in the space of 4min than writing a song. Overall it just goes on too long. If it was half the length it'd probably get a 4 for originality and longevity. It's also pretty impressive that people still care this much about 90s nonsense in 2022 (does anyone other than me remember Type O Negative? Fittingly, I think NIN lifted a Type O melody for the end of Closer). It's about 50% good songs, so 3/5.

This was all just a bit nothing.

A pure metal/industrial/electronic masterpiece

Banging tunes and great guitars ... Loved it.

I remember all of the weird kids in middle school wore NIN and Tool shirts. And now here I am kinda loving both bands. It's weird how Trent Reznor combines so many sounds without sounding contrived. A song like Heresy has a pulsing beat and an intense screaming chorus, yet he manages to almost invoke tones of Prince in the verses. I never listened to this album until I was an adult, but I think if I would've found this at a younger (read: more angsty) age, I would've wore it out.

Lost my virginity to the album.

Never really got into them. But I like this album. Maybe it grows on you.

I used to love this when I was an angsty teen, and, if I'm being honest, I still like it as an angsty adult. Maybe not as much as I used to, but I enjoyed it.

Incredible album and really gnaws at you when you listen to it. Really unsettling.

I've just learned that Trent Reznor moved into the house where Sharon Tate was murdered to record "The Downward Spiral". Justifiable as part of his creative process, or just a horrible case of romanticising and fetishising tragedy? Whichever way you view it, the resulting "...Downward Spiral" came out insular, abrasive and depraved. It sounds like the product of a twisted environment and an even more twisted mind. The singles "Closer" and "Hurt" are the famous cuts here and they're both very effective but also outliers: the production gets much heavier and much more horrific. For most of its runtime, "The Downward Spiral" is downright filthy. I didn't enjoy a lot of it, but I can't deny that Reznor’s production is innovative, captivating, even enthralling. Alongside seismic drums (both live and electronic), walls of wailing guitars, yelled vocals and other synth loops, there are often samples of screams, torture, machines (“Reptile” is especially well-done and in my top tier) and god knows what else. The sudden loud-quiet dynamic shifts which was vogue in 90's alt-rock are taken to the extreme, like Pixies or Nirvana with extreme bipolar. While this can be fascinating, for me the heavier sections tipped over the edge of what I can actually enjoy, and the lyrics are a little bit try-hard angry teenager. "Heresy" is a prime example, with its refrain of "God is dead, and no-one cares". There's a lot of wanting to fuck and desecrate everything in sight, which wears thin after a while and doesn't make for an engaging concept album on the level of, say, "The Wall" (one of Reznor's key influences). Instead, the album is at its best when the sonic innovation is enough to distract from Reznor's patchy lyrics, or tiresome self-flagellating metal. While the vocal segments in "March of the Pigs", "Ruiner", "I Do Not Want This", etc... were just too much for me, many of the songs evolve and shift without returning to recognisable verse-chorus structures. "The Becoming" and “Eraser” are both prime examples, packing a lot into their running time and opting for either consistent forward momentum or a slow, creeping dread. Every now and then, there's an intriguing loop, burst of piano or ambient palette cleanser to shine through (thank god for "A Warm Place", giving some depth to proceedings off the back of the unbearable "Big Man With A Gun"). It's interesting approaching Nine Inch Nails in 2021, because Trent Reznor has continued to blossom from one of alternative music's most reputable figures to a critics' darling in film. His soundtrack work with Atticus Ross has won him Oscars and even taken him to Pixar, for crying out loud. The Reznor working on this album is a very different beast. I'm not likely to listen much again, but like a ruined souffle or a terrible murder, it's hard not to be taken in.

nah, shouldn't be on this list

Simultaneously dark and catchy. Brooding and angry. I'm not usually big on industrial but I've always liked NIN. This is album just takes you to such a dark place but it's got a hell of a soundtrack on the way. It's great. There's a reason why I still hear Closer on the local rock station almost 30 (yikes I'm getting old) years later. Or maybe the local station is behind the times. That's a debate for another time.

Not sure how an album can be relaxing and stressful at the same time- yet here we are

Album is phenomenal, I couldn't wait for it to be released and it's well worth the wait. Industrial perfection.

Sure it's demonic but its obnoxiousness is the bigger problem. The odd interesting figure and the mellower sections ("Piggy") and parts of the last song suggest that this project could have been much less of a spectacle, if not fully redeemable.

3.0

Caught between the push-pull of the harder industrial tones and attempts at enveloping melody, this LP ends up feeling disjointed and a bit unpolished. There could have been great synergy between these two goals, but each song tends to lean so hard one way or the other it's hard to find this a cohesive product rather than a grab bag of ideas thrown together. Throw a 14-year old's version of "edgy" lyrics on top and this one just feels misguided and half-baked.

-An awesome industrial metal album -"Heresy," "Closer," "Ruiner," "I Do Not Want This," and "Eraser" stand out as really strong tracks

Un álbum para la eternidad 10/10.

This album has some of my favorite NiN tracks ("Closer", "Hey Pig", "Hurt"), but also descends into a bit too much teen-angst anger in places. The production is ridiculously good and it was definitely a revelation on its release.

This is where I came in with Nine Inch Nails. I loved this record for all of the new it brought and for all of the old it twisted and tore.

Hey, this one I have heard all the way through, multiple times... and no sense not doing it again! Think back to the first time you heard this and think, Oscar winner working with Pixar.

Take Pretty Hate Machine and make it angrier, meaner, louder,… Perfect record for the time and still great.

I guess it is a good thing that I'm not often in the mood for NIN. That said you cannot deny the power and creativity and raw genius on display. This album is a genuine achievement. It is utterly unsurprising that Reznor continues to make significant and inspired contributions to our culture right up to present day. The Downward Spiral is not the work of a man lacking in ideas or emotion. Hurt in particular is a masterpiece. All the more so once it became the deeply moving Cash video. If you don't agree then I'm sorry you have a stone for a heart.

Muito barulho.

A big NO from the first track. 2 minutes are already too much. The album cover is intereting tho.

I feel like this passed without incident. Maybe it's my fault for just having it on whilst doing something else. I actually get the feeling that I'd really like NIN if I gave them some time.

Industrial rock-metal. Un 4 porque tiene la de Hurt.

Such 90s sound. Actually kind of goofy at times.

More industrial rock than I would normally care for but the way Reznor produces music is just so interesting. The sounds he creates are unlike anyone elses.

Great album

disquieting, filled with self-loathing and rage, scritchy noises and distorted voices - well-executed but not one I would listen to for fun or relaxation

ugh, nine inch nails

Pretty good! I’ll likely listen to it more

Yeah I love this album. Any music that has this primal feeling automatically gets some serious points from me. Another example: AVA by Model/Actriz. It has all the things that I tend to love. It has beautiful abrasiveness. It has some very interesting rhythmic ideas. It has lyrics that actually pull me into them! You cannot zone out when Trent is on the mic. This album makes me dance like a stripper and then feel really bad about doing so. That’s special.

Absolutely not my type of music. I really struggled to listened to this. At least it inspired a good Weird Al song. 1.5/5

Boumboum du numetal avec des bruits ambiant

Sorry, it's not the kind of music I listen to...

I tried, would honestly rather have silence though

A bunch of okay songs and then hurt

Прослушивание 1: 1 Снова электроника, ура. Ну и жесть, пи...(матерные слово)какой-то . 2 Да кто такой этот ваш пиги? Чем может быть этот трек интересен? Он очень безвкусен. 3. Недоретровейв. Какой отвратительный экстрим воказл. 4 Неужели таких треков еще 10. Я хочу плакать. Но в этом треке хотябы норм бас гитара. 5 Мне не хватит слов, чтобы описать моё состояние сейчас. 6. Я страдаю, помогите. Я слушаю только для одного, чтобы поставить объективную оценку. 7 Я хочу просто молча дослушать. Как хорошо, что я не плед перед прослушиванием. 8... 9... 10... 11... 12... Мне осталось всего ничего .. я выдержу. 13... Пожалуй это был самый ужасный час в моей жизни. 14... Неужели всё, неужели, я дотерпел этот ужас. Вывод: если бы можно было поставить 0 , я бы поставил, а так 1/5

Quite cool how they can mix super brash and really soft/pretty into single songs, some lean too brash for me tho

Saved Prior: Closer, Hurt Not Saved: 14. Big Man with a Gun 13. The Becoming 12. A Warm Place 11. Eraser Saved: 10. I Do Not Want This 9. Reptile 8. The Downward Spiral (great thematic album cut, don't know how often I'll listen solo) 7. Piggy 6. Heresy 5. March of the Pigs 4. Mr. Self Destruct 3. Hurt 2. Ruiner 1. Closer Overall Notes: Heavy and uncompromising, but he's got an ear for a hook that keeps me locked in. Shoutout Johnny Cash and Allie Goertz who both have covers that are probably better than the originals (Hurt and Big Man with a Gun respectfully). Take those placements with a pillar of salt as this was near impossible to rank song to song, not because I absolutely love them all but more so because it's such a (CLICHE ALERT) full album experience.

A 90's classic and still unique and fresh sounding nearly 20 years since its release. The way Reznor oscillates seamlessly between a heavier, industrial metal sound and the softer, atmospheric vibes of songs like 'Hurt' and 'A Warm Place' makes for a terrific album.

Listened Before? Y I have heard this album a lot of times. I own the CD from the 90's, and it was one I listened to semi-regularly. That being said, NIN never really became one of my favorite bands. Pros: Catchy for industrial music. Angsty teenage me loved the anti-establishment messages. Mentally ill me loved the bleakness of it. Today, I just like that I can make it through the album but don't feel a need to force myself to. Cons: It hasn't aged in my life particularly well. I'm a much happier person now than I was when this released so it doesn't ring as true. "Closer" - oh wow, what an overplayed song. Thanks, corporate radio! Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Piggy, March of the Pigs

Great album!

Трент Резнор гений

Bit dark

Really wasn't in the mood for this. Mostly just boring edgelord music that I couldn't connect with. Johnny Cash did "Hurt" better, but I think even Trent Reznor agrees with that. Still can't believe they named the Mario rhino that spits fire after that guy. Seriously, the rhino from Super Mario World that spins on a windmill and spits fire at you is officially called Reznor in the Mario canon. I get naming the turtle with Beethoven hair "Ludwig", but who in the Nintendo localization team looked at a fire rhino and said "This gives me Trent Reznor vibes".

Electronic in substance, hard rock in spirit. This is confrontational and challenging

9/10

Many stabdout tracks like “Closer,” “Hurt,” “Heresy,” and “Ruiner.” Great music for being angsty. Some filler tracks, intros, outros.

WTF was that!?